I'm not having much luck in tracking down the lyrics or history of an unaccompanied Irish song that's caught me.

It is an English translation - 1st verse goes something like

O far away from Erin's home some other brave sons roam Across the broad Atlantic 3000 miles from home No matter where they chance to stray they'll love each glen and vale Where there Shannon's purple tide rose free through green robed Innisfail

The (long) story also has reference to Larkin and O'Brien and a cold Manchester jail Thanks (in anticipation!!) Ana

Far far away from Erin's home some of our brave sons roam Across the broad Atlantic foam, three thousand miles from home No matter where they chance to stray they love each fair and vale Where Shannon's purple tide rolls free through green-robed Inisfail

No wonder they would love their land, the land St Patrick blessed Ah, a lovely land and God's command, the Eden of the west Where peace had reigned triumphantly til the British came o'er And tore our Irish homesteads through green-robed Inisfail

When Donal sailed away from the lovely western shore Unto the olive groves of Spain for to return no more He's gone he's gone our heroes cried, his loss we will bewail He's gone he's gone he'll never return through green-robed Inisfail

When Allen, Larkin and O'Brien stood in the gallows tree Far from their homes and friends and their mother country It was in that dark and dreary cell in a cold Manchester jail They roared 'may God save Ireland and green-robed Inisfail'

Dear land you've raised another son, the best that was e'er seen Who fought his way and rowed the troops of England's virgin Queen Who fought for peace and liberty, it was dauntless Hugh O'Neill Who tore their flags, their orange flags, through green-robed Inisfail

Dear land you have suffered sorely through centuries it's true But thanks to God, those tyrants could not our sons subdue On many a well-contested plain, where bullets flew like hail Our gallant sons they nobly fought for green-robed Inisfail

The text is given in Passing the Time in Ballymenone: Culture and History of an Ulster Community by Henry H. Glassie (Bloomington : Indiana University Press, 1995), page 638. Only a few fairly insignificant words are different from the version that Ana posted, so I won't bother posting it again. The writer says he collected the song from Peter Flanagan, a local traditional singer who is quoted and described frequently in the book.

I have a handwritten copy in pencil of this poem on very old paper from my great grandfather John Delaney. Family lore is that he wrote it on the boat as he crossed the Atlantic to America in late 1800's. Not sure what to think? Was he the original author? or was he just trying to write down the poem from memory? Thoughts.

Interesting possibility, Chuck. It might be worth your while to see what's written about the song in Passing the Time in Ballymenone, the book Jim Dixon mentioned in his post above.The song Jackets Green shares the phrase "Shannon's purple tide" with this song, but there seems to be no other connection between the two songs. -Joe-

From The Monitor and New Era, London, Friday, February 1, 1901, page 10: [This newspaper seems to be aimed at Irish Catholics.]

M. Diamond (Wigtown) sends some charming lines entitled "Innisfail." We regret we have only space for one stanza:—

Though far away from Erin's Isle Some of her brave sons roam Beyond the wide Atlantic waves Ten thousand miles from home, No matter where they chance to be They love each glen and vale Where the purple Shannon tide flows free Through green-robed Innisfail.

[The top of the column says:]

VERSE COMPETITION. PRIZES FOR TOPICAL LINES. SOME CLEVER CONTRIBUTIONS. ORIGINAL VERSES ONLY ARE ELIGIBLE.

The Far North Queensland town of Innisfail, 80ks south of Cairns where I live, would certainly fit the description of "Green-Robed" as it's rainforest country. We're halfway through the 'Wet' just now and even the humidity induced mould is green! YIU gecko